


5 time Sephiroth needed help against winter and 1 time he didn't

by ectocosme



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: (I realised at chapter 2 I didn't put any tags before difjpmzsofm), Angst, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, M/M, Snow, Snow and Ice, Snowball Fight, Snowed In, Unhappy Ending, chap 6 changes tone so don't read if you're here for the fluff, like a LOT of snow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-12 23:32:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12970833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ectocosme/pseuds/ectocosme
Summary: the evolution of Sephiroth's relationship with thehorrific winter periodand someone else.gift for cradle-you-in-love on tumblr





	1. first snow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> let's count the days before Christmas with the first part of the fic :D

Growing up in the labs with Hojo, Sephiroth worked his mind like his physic to be the best. He knew old strategies thought to be Ancient's and modern ones, from Gongaga to Wutaii. Turks trained him in so many ways, he thought he'd join them when called by Shinra, the company owning him.

Being in the Army and precisely with those new SOLDIERs – created in his example, Hojo said – disturbed him at first, but he adapted. They only wanted him to follow orders, test him. At first. He was good at that. Even if sometimes his superiors chastised him for working mostly alone, but since he did the job, they slowly stopped bothering him. Then he had to move up the ranks, he had to give orders and know which SOLDIER would be the best for each task. It should have been simple, he knew their strengths and weakness but _humans_.

At the end, Sephiroth managed with a squad the General Crest gave him. They worked fine with other squads that quickly understood that if Sephiroth was there, they had to step back and being a good protective rear. If needed.

Everything happened in less than a year. And then there was new promising SOLDIERs – the Spitfire and the honour-bound as people called them – and there was war.

And there was snow. A thing Sephiroth never encountered in Midgar. He did work in some simulations with it, but simulations weren't perfect – it still was a new technology – and they never reproduced the full experience of touching snow, of the world falling silent, sounds absorbed by fresh snow. It certainly didn't reproduce realistically the experience of walking on ice. It was a thing he encountered for the first time today and the world could not have chosen the worst time.

Sephiroth slowly got up under some badly hidden snickers. None of his own SOLDIERs was here and people stared at him since he first fell. The General Crest always said never to consider SOLDIERs differently if he wanted to get up in the ranks a bit more, they should all be _is_. Hojo thought the same, they shared his blood, they _were_ is. But now, as he slipped on the ice, feeling like a young creature just born, under the Crimson Major General's squad eyes, there was _them_ and _us_.

Sephiroth – tired to the bone from his six-day mission – slipped again. His ass hit the ice painfully. A sigh escaped him as his hands were bitten by the cold. He would have liked for a member of his squad to be here now, but they went to sleep while he made his report to the General. There was a deep pressure on his sternum, though he wasn't hurt anymore.

He wanted to sleep too, not being here while the cold – already deeply settled into his bones – kept attacking him. He _disliked_ winter so much. It recalled him one of his oldest nightmares – green cold eyes and ice encasing his body – and now it managed to make him look ridiculous.

The tickling of magic around him made him freeze a second, his mind already calling for Masamune, before heat caressed his skin and made the ice melt under him. The warmth of the fira swept through his clothes in a delectable manner. Soon, Sephiroth could find a bed, wrap himself in a blanket and feel this warmth for longer.

He straightened up, sitting when Rhapsodos came strolling toward him, a smile on his lips. Reagan, one of Sephiroth's SOLDIER helping him the most with human's facial expression had made this exact same face during an exercise and said it was 'cocky'. Though, there was an edge to Rhapsodos' smile that looked like mockery to Sephiroth.

The young man extended a hand to Sephiroth, his smile lifting to one side. Sephiroth was too tired to refuse, he had his left knee dislocated earlier in a fight and, though healed, it still hurt a lot. The helping hand was welcomed and warm in Sephiroth's ice-cold fingers.

"Like a little fawn," Rhapsodos said.

Sephiroth frowned, "What?"

"You can't even stand up on your own, stumbling and fumbling like a newborn fawn. It breaks the myth of the Grand SOLDIER, Lieutenant General Sephiroth." There was something sharp in Rhapsodos' words. The snickers his comment elicited from the men behind him only proved Sephiroth's assumption that he was mocked. He frowned, irritation rising slowly in him. "Seeing you today, nobody would think you are a capable SOLDIER.”

A shudder ran down Sephiroth's spine, not of the cold - irritation, would say Reagan - and he shot a dark look at Rhapsodos, daring him to continue the conversation. He headed for his part of the camp, but Rhapsodos side-steeped to end in front of him again, his head cocked to the side.

"You're not thanking me for my help?”

Sephiroth was at eye level with the redhead. He saw the pleasure he was taking in this conversation – though he didn't understand _why_ – and his heart beat faster, his hands twitching with the need to call Masamune.

“Thank you,” Sephiroth delivered flatly, willing his teeth not to chatter.

The redhead straightened up, ending a few inches taller than Sephiroth and looked down on him.

“Incapable of standing by himself, incapable of being polite by himself.”

Sephiroth lowered his head, sighing as he interrogated himself on Rhapsodos' goal by belittling him. There was no gain for the redhead. Except to draw Sephiroth into a fight. The redhead always looked for a fight. But Sephiroth was too tired to fight like one of the _humans_.

Rhapsodos moved a strand of silver hair from Sephiroth's forehead so he could meet his eyes. It made Sephiroth's face heat up in anger now, he hated people being this close.

Rhapsodos smirked, “You're quite disappointing.”

_Disappointing, child._

Sephiroth's breath hitched at Hojo's voice in his head. He moved before he could take back control.

_Control yourself._

Swiftly, he caught Rhapsodos' wrist, still hovering near his face, and entered his personal space. The redhead made a choked up sound that was cut short when Sephiroth tripped him. Ants crawling at the back of his head, his limbs trembling, Sephiroth looked down upon the SOLDIER.

"Why are you tripping over my feet? Don't you have some balance? If so, I wonder who you managed to get into SOLDIER."

Shock was clearly written on the redhead's face. This emotion, Sephiroth knew it well. He killed people so suddenly they were in shock enough time to recognise it. This time it elicited a savage satisfaction into Sephiroth that warmed him up from inside. Even so, before Rapsodos could get angry and attack him again, Sephiroth left. Maybe General Crest would admonish him for angering purposefully another SOLDIER when they should all work together in harmony to win, but right now, Sephiroth didn't care.

At least, now he was hot. With anger.

 


	2. sol invictus

In the silent wutaiian house, Sephiroth enjoyed a warm cup of tea during this terribly cold day. The girl that had made it had shaking hands when she arrived, yet kept them perfectly still and controlled when she'd made it. She left the moment he'd taken the first sip and gave his approval. He saw her leave by the exterior path, joining her sisters and little brothers playing in the snow. Although, none of them approached a corner where an igloo was taking space.

Sephiroth saw the young SOLDIER Rhapsodos – still older than Sephiroth has he came to learn – start it in the early morning. When Sephiroth left to signs some treaty with the Wutaiian, Rhapsodos had been sitting in his igloo, silent and alone. Now, a few hours after, he was still there in his SOLDIER uniform without any coat or sleeves even if the entry was too wide not to let the cold enter.

During the war, Sephiroth saw for the first time snow. He'd known the basics about it but was taken aback by the difficulty it made to fight. Yet, snow had its advantage. They had used it to make quick walls against the wind, sometimes complete igloo to stay warm if they were far from a camp. There was no reason today for Genesis to be in his makeshift snow-house. Seated in his poorly done igloo, Genesis had his arms loosely slung around his knees and he looked at the group of kids playing under the watching eyes of a few adults from the house. Not far away, a Second Class SOLDIER did the same with Genesis. It wasn't useful, but Wutaiian seemed to find more respectful soldiers accompanied by lower ranking, a sort of servant. Sephiroth had one too.

For the first time, Sephiroth saw the man calm. Rhapsodos was always talking, reciting poetry or hissing a few insults, to friends like foes. Seeing him like that – almost melancholic – made Sephiroth curious. He left the rest of tea, put his boots and came nearer the redhead, though he stayed a few feet away must Genesis try to attack him again.

“Are you okay? You've been here since the morning.”

The redhead didn't even spare him more than a bored glance. Genesis sighed, put his chin in his hand and kept silent for so long Sephiroth was pondering returning inside.

"It's Sol Invictus. I'd always spent it with Angeal those last years. I hate being alone now."

The blank look Sephiroth gave him elicited a long sigh from the redhead.

"We're the 25 December."

"Oh, at Midgard it's-"

"The Natale, Noël and such."

"I heard Christmas the most. You should have told it."

"I don't even know this _Christ_ ," Genesis scoffed, his lips quirking up with an emotion Sephiroth recognised as disgust.

The silence stretched between them for a moment, then Sephiroth – still curious – asked, "What does it have to do with you being outside this long?"

"What? not celebrating Christmas with your family don't make you broody?"

Sephiroth blinked, "I don't celebrate Christmas."

Genesis deflated, "Oh, but being away from your family for the holidays must be hard. You can understand that."

"I don't have holidays."

"Not simple days of rest, General. The holidays of the end year."

There it was, Sephiroth said something, apparently wrong, and Genesis's voice rose, his eyes glinted with anger and his lips lifted over a sharp smile that looked more like barred teeth. Sephiroth's mind recalled his last words, incapable to identify what he'd done wrong.

Genesis huffed, but rather than nudge Sephiroth for a fight, he seemed mellow enough to just ask spited questions.

"I've met enough people from around the world to know we all have some sort of holidays at the end of the year. So what's yours?"

"Mine?"

"Holidays," Genesis hissed.

"I don't have holidays. Shinra doesn't allow me. We're at war." Sephiroth paused. "We were."

Genesis slapped his face with his own hand, "Oh Minerva, are you stupid or what? When do you reunite with family, pretend you're happy to see all the extended family, get drunk with them to forget you really don't like Uncle Bob and exchange gifts? Or do you just have a good meal like at Gongaga? That's what I'm asking."

Something uncomfortable settled into Sephiroth's stomach at Genesis' outburst, "I don't do that. Hojo never offered me gifts. I don't have an Uncle called Bob either."

A sort of horror – Sephiroth thought it was horror – settled on Genesis' face. He opened his mouth but said nothing for a second. He turned his head to the ground and kicked it from his seated position.

"Your life suck."

Sephiroth thought the statement didn't need an answer, so he stayed silent, eyeing the rest of the courtyard while still standing up.

"Abe!" Genesis shout made Sephiroth's startle out from his reverie. "Go find us some hot chocolate!"

The SOLDIER pointed to himself, looked at the other Second class who shrugged, then shrugged himself, sighed and left. At Sephiroth surprise, Genesis patted the ground next to him and – harshly – demanded he sat down. Since his day was free and for once Genesis asked for his company rather than fight him, Sephiroth obeyed.

The ground was biting cold under him, the wind made his skin prickle and snow was falling again. The kids had stopped playing to usher between themselves. They didn't know SOLDIERs could hear them. The minutes passed without Genesis talking again. Though he huffed and shifted his mass a few times. Sephiroth had looked up at the sky for a moment and was mesmerised by the slow fall of snow. He was calm with the help of the place's quietness, only broken by Genesis' breath and the distant murmurs from the kids.

“Aren't you cold?”

Sephiroth's first question would have been asking back the question, he was curious. The redhead was here for longer than him, but he recalled all his interaction with 'the Spitfire' as the other SOLDIERs called him and so thought a bit more before talking.

“I'm fine. The igloo protects us from the worst of the cold. Aren't you?”

Satisfied with his long set of sentences just to finish with the question interesting him, Sephiroth let himself smile a bit. He caught Genesis' stare when the man made a strangled sound. Sephiroth lifted a brow and Genesis's head swirled back in front of him as he pinched his lips, eyebrows almost disappearing into his hairline.

Their attention was drawn by Abe coming back with another SOLDIER who had a happy expression. Both had blankets flung around their arms and the little wutaiian tables. The newcomer, Yu, deposed the Wutaian table – so little Sephiroth had thought it was a simple tray the first time he saw one – then took the blanket lying on Abe's shoulder and handed it to them.

“There, put it under your asses or you'll get frozen, sirs.”

Genesis grumbled and put the thing under the both of them, shooing Sephiroth when he didn't move at his convenience.

The ground was still cold, but the blanket did help. Genesis’ body was close enough to warm up Sephiroth’s left side as he observed Yu returning the cups before pouring a light brown drink into it. It smelled like milk, cinnamon and chocolate to Sephiroth. Yu added a spoon of honey, then a bit more of chocolate powder.

“That looks like some restaurant worth hot chocolate,” Genesis said with awe.

It made Yu light up, “I hope I can join one when I’ll finish my time at Shinra.”

Sephiroth gratefully took the warm mug and put the drink to his lips. He'd been poisoned enough to know it wasn't the case here, he trusted his men too much to have more than a passing thought – ingrained by Hojo – about it. Though, his sensibilities made him wary. Rarely did he like a new food. However, there was more luck with drinks. Wutaiian tea had surprised him, but he enjoyed it now. Sephiroth took a tentative sip and the warm mix of spices married with the sweetness of honey filled his mouth. Sephiroth couldn't help the low, appreciative hum.

Yu joyous laugh and nudge toward Abe caught Sephiroth's attention. Confused by the excited reaction, Sephiroth glanced around instinctively, he rarely was the cause of happiness. He met Genesis' striking blue eyes just as Yu said, “The General loves my hot chocolate!”

“Yes, it's very sweet.”

Yu put a cake into his hand, “I was having fun and making some muffins, there. Try it.”

The SOLDIER kept babbling about his dream to be a renowned cook while Abe was almost salivating in front of the cakes and drinks he couldn't touch. Genesis was huffing, though he said a few times Yu's preparations were delicious with such a tone Sephiroth was starting to believe the redhead was going to bite someone.

He didn't bite, but he shooed away the duo. A bit rudely.

“I was having some calm, leave.”

Sephiroth didn't care for the presence of the two SOLDIERs, he was more interested in the hot chocolate and the cakes, so he didn't try to hold them back when they obeyed Genesis' demand.

“So, the General has a sweet tooth. Like little kids,” Genesis chuckled.

Sephiroth didn't answer that, his mouth full, then an epiphany hit him, “Is this the food we eat at Sol Invictus?”

“Yeah, part of it. We eat it with loved ones,” Genesis helpfully answered, then he added, derisively, “Sorry, you only have me now.”

Sephiroth pondered a second on his next words, “You are one of my favourite SOLDIER. I like seeing you fight and I trust you.”

“Oh, shit.”

Sephiroth looked back at the other man. Genesis had a hand on the lower part of his face, the rest was red as a ripe tomato. It was a fascinating colour. But his observation was cut short by a cold wind slashing his sensitive eyes. He closed them, contemplating his next option.

“I hesitate between getting back inside, where I will be warm or stay here to eat. I really want to finish those.”

Genesis disbelieving laugh made Sephiroth glance at him again, “You weren't fucking up with me all this time! You just are really dense, you didn't understand me!”

Sephiroth cocked his head to the side, recalling his 'fights' with Genesis. Most often he didn't understand why the Crimson SOLDIER lost his temper at his remarks.

“I often fail to follow your train of thoughts,” Sephiroth agreed.

Genesis huffed, then laughed into his hand, his eyes wrinkling with mirth. Sephiroth stared, fascinated by the expression. Genesis was always scowling at him.

“We can get inside _with_ the cakes, or we can stay here and still get warm.”

“Can we?” Sephiroth asked, his mind falling to reconcile the two possibilities, then how Genesis hoped to get them warm here and there, “Don't use a firaga, you'd melt the igloo.”

Genesis didn't get mad this time, he only chuckled, one word – cute – escaping him.

“I won't. Come here.”

Genesis lifted a side of the second blanket he'd been hogging and made him a sign to come closer. Sephiroth hesitation was short enough for it to remain unnoticed by the redhead. The General hated people touching him, more since the start of the war, but if he made the first move, it was acceptable.

Sephiroth settled against Genesis, his thigh was pressed against the other's, his arm bumped him, and to his surprise, he felt the man still pretty warm after his day outside. Maybe he'd been using a fire materia? Sephiroth didn't linger too much on it, he had a sweet drink to savour and a cake – muffin Yu said – to finish.

Under the blanket with Genesis, he quickly forgot about cold, except when a cold wind came to his face. He finished the muffins left, Genesis arguing one was enough for him, then settled into a comfortable silence with the redhead who even ended up leaning a bit on Sephiroth as the man watched the slow fall of snow.

For once, Sephiroth appreciated winter. It wasn't too harsh, too constricting. The fear and ache it always awoke in him were soothed by the delicious drink and food, and Genesis kept him from freezing to death.

“This is fine.”

“Yeah.” Genesis agreed, exhaling a satisfied hum. “Yeah, it is.”


	3. little cabin in the woods

“Don't do that ever again,” Sephiroth said for the umpteenth time.

Genesis kept stalking away from Sephiroth, huffing for the umpteenth time, even with teeth chattering because of the cold.

“Nobody told you to follow me. I was fine,” he snapped angrily. “I follow a fleeing enemy if I damn please! I'm not Angeal's puppy. I know how to defend myself!”

“Yes, I know,” Sephiroth stated.

Genesis swirled around, his red coat standing out on the white landscape they were lost in, “Then why did you follow me? I won against my adversary, I'm fine. Why did you follow me?”

Sephiroth lowered his gaze, incapable to answer. He crushed the snow under his feet, scowling at it.

“Sephi-”

“Ay-up! Are you lost, boys?”

The heavily accented question came from a woman in her forties, short and bulk, who approached them. She repositioned her load – wood and a bag – and gave them a sweet smile. Genesis' demeanour switched in a heartbeat, his previously closed off face turned open and inviting.

“Yes, ma'am. Would you be so kind as to indicate us the way to the Shinra camp?”

“Too fucking far for you to make it before the storm hit, sweetheart,” she said before walking away, motioning them to follow. “You'll sleep at my home tonight, boys. Come.”

They shared a glance before the woman called them again, just as a cold wind ruffled their hair. Without consulting each other out loud they followed the little brunette whistling a tune over the wind. She led them to a tiny cabin where another woman – tall, brown skin and sweet eyes – opened the door to them.

“We have guests, hon'. Lost boys,” the first woman said. “Come inside, Mira will feed you something!”

The first woman disappeared inside, letting the two SOLDIERs face to face with the lady of the house.

“We appreciate your hospitality, ma'am,” Genesis said while Sephiroth stood back, uncomfortable with all the social protocol.

“Bah! I can't shoo Ilda's strays or she'll make her pouty face,” Mira said, motioning them inside.

After that, Genesis entertained the women during dinner while Sephiroth tried to efface his existence from the house. As the time passed, the warm and cosy little cabin became colder even with the roaring fireplace, the storm was above them. Soon, the two women decided to go to sleep. They went to their bedroom, but let a mattress and big woolly blankets to the SOLDIERs, apologising for the rudimentary assembly.

Now Genesis was hogging one of the blankets and sat by the fire, scowling at it, while Sephiroth lay on his back on the thin mattress and stared at the shadows the fire made on the ceiling. He was really cold, but again, he'd always run a lower temperature than most SOLDIERs for unknown reasons. He wasn't against Genesis crawling inside the bed and hugging him for warmth. It had been weeks he wasn't against Genesis touching him.

Sephiroth's eyes wandered back to Genesis' form. Huddled in the blanket, his face turned to the fire, away from Sephiroth, only his red hair was recognisable. Genesis ran a hand through them a few times while sighing, which only gave Sephiroth the urge to do the same. He liked his lips, then asked:

“Are you going to sit there all night?”

“Maybe so.”

Sephiroth sighed and returned to his observation of himself and his state. Even with the fire so close, his extremities tingled because of the cold.

“Don't be stupid and come lay down,” Sephiroth demanded.

“Don't give me orders!”

“I am your General,” Sephiroth recalled Genesis. He had the right to give him orders.

“I know!” Genesis shouted, swirling around to met Sephiroth's eyes with his own, who were burning with anger. “You never let me forget it! You treat Angeal as a friend, but I'm only your inferior who can't fight alone and you need to follow around in case I'd trover on my own feet!”

“I never thought that,” Sephiroth said. “I didn't follow you for that.”

Genesis stood up in his furry, “Don't take me for an idiot! _Why_ would you have followed me otherwise?”

“Boys?”

They startled, none of them having noticed the woman descending the stairs. Mira stared at them before sighing, “I realised there was tension between you, but you can share a bed for one night not to freeze to death, isn't it? Or don't share the bed, as long as you don't kill each other.”

She gave them a look, one Genesis recognised from all mothers that made him squirm and nod. Sephiroth only stared until she went back to her bedroom. At least she gave him time to analyse Genesis' words. Time the Spitfire never gave him with his series of shouts and arguments when he was angry at him. Just as she left, the redhead sent Sephiroth a glare, but before he could even open his mouth Sephiroth jumped on him. He blocked Genesis under him so he was incapable to hit him and put his hand on his mouth.

“You are irritating. Let me think,” Sephiroth said as Genesis struggled uselessly. “I know you can take care of any enemy, I fought against you, Genesis. I know it and yet, when you left I was...” Sephiroth frowned, Genesis frowned too at Sephiroth pause, “I was...”

The silence stretched as Sephiroth had trouble with the word he was searching. Genesis had stopped struggling and was lying still, sighing a few times and staring above Sephiroth's head. Finally, he reached for Sephiroth's hand on his mouth and pulled gently, silently asking for it to be removed. Sephiroth nodded and straightened up, sitting on the mattress rather than weighing on Genesis.

The redhead ran a hand through his hair, his expression clear from the previous anger, “Just tell me what physical things you felt and maybe I'll understand.”

“My stomach twisted uncomfortably the moment you weren't in my field of vision,” Sephiroth answered quickly. “And I couldn't focus on my own fight till I found you.”

Genesis stared at him, mouth slightly agape, “You were worried? For me?”

“I guess,” Sephiroth stated. “This is the word? I thought worry was less debilitating when people talked about it.”

The redhead didn't answer. In fact, he flopped down on the mattress, rolled into a cover and presented his back to Sephiroth.

“Are you still mad?”

“No.”

Sephiroth nodded before saying, “Okay. Good night, then.”

Genesis grumbled, but wiggled so his back was touching Sephiroth when he laid down too.

“Can I ask about something else?”

“Be my guest, maybe it'll prevent us from miscommunication. _Again_ ,” came Genesis muffled voice.

“I did lose a lot of sleep on you, thinking either about our fights or the small moments you are kind to me. Oftentimes my heartbeat race and my breath accelerate for no other reason than you entering a room. I thought it was a natural reaction, a conditioning. For each time you come to me it ends in a fight.”

“That's not true,” grumbled Genesis, but it was low enough for Sephiroth to consider it wasn't meant to cut him from his enumeration.

“It wouldn't be a problem, fighting you never was a problem. I liked it. But right now, you said when my stomach hurt in such a way it was the worry, which it is what I feel when I say something that makes you angry when it wasn't my goal. It's not excitation, like I have when our fights are somewhat planned.” Sephiroth breathed out. “And many of my waking hours had been spent on reading the books you recommended me, even if I don't like them because this is the only thing you talk about without snapping at me. I prefer spending time with you, even if I end up with worry,” Sephiroth took a deep breath, “I wish you'd touch me more, even if I fought for you to _stop_ touching me years ago.”

Genesis shot up, eliciting only a faint curiosity in Sephiroth until Genesis made him roll on his back. Sephiroth had lifted his hand, ready to strike, but trusted Genesis enough for the move to end there.

“Are you serious?” Genesis asked, his eyes roaming Sephiroth's face with a stone expression. When Genesis finished his investigation, his eyebrows shot up, “You are. You really are.”

“Yes, I just cited the things that have changed in me, toward you,” Sephiroth stated.

“Do you, by pure chance, find me attractive?”

Sephiroth didn't find the link between his constant thoughts about Genesis and the fact he found him attractive. Before the last few weeks, he'd appreciated Genesis' form but didn't constantly thought about it like now.

“Obviously, but it hadn't changed since our first encounter.” As Genesis stayed frozen, Sephiroth added, “I just thought a lot about it those last weeks. But you changed nothing, isn't it?”

Genesis' laugh took Sephiroth by surprise. The redhead let himself fall next to Sephiroth, laughing his heart out as the silver-haired tried to understand this change of mind. He wasn't against the fact he made Genesis laugh, far from it, but he'd like to know what exactly he had done so he could do it again rather than irritate the redhead.

“I think you have a crush on me, you idiot!”

“What?” Sephiroth asked automatically, blinking at the surprising conclusion. “I never had a crush before. This is it? I don't like it. How do I stop it? It takes too much of my time.”

A roaring laughter escaped Genesis who curled on himself, his face pressed against his pillow. It took him a long time to calm down. When he looked up at Sephiroth with humid eyes and a lingering smile, Sephiroth's heart missed a beat.

“Yeah, that's irritating and takes time from you. You can understand why I'm always angry then? You took too much of my time.”

A soft 'oh' escaped Sephiroth. He wasn't so stupid as not to understand what happened if two people with a crush on each other realised it. Now that he knew he had a crush – a reciprocated crush – Sephiroth could apply the social norm linked to it.

“Do we start dating then?”

“Are you asking me rudely to go on a date?” Genesis huffed, frowning a bit. “Or are you asking if it's a thing people do that you _should_ do but don't _want_ to do?”

“The latter,” Genesis frowned a bit more, Sephiroth continued. “Although, I do want to date you.”

“Do you even know how a date goes?”

“Yes.”

He was General, maybe he didn't understand his own emotion, but he listened to enough love stories from his SOLDIERs to know about dates.

“Why didn't you ask sooner for a date if you knew how they went?”

“Because I thought love or crush were required.”

“So you don't know everything about dates.”

The redhead was managing to make Sephiroth's irritation rose again. He rolled on his stomach and turned his head away from Genesis. He felt like pouting. Genesis' hand pressed on his shoulder and his hair spilt on Sephiroth's cheek as he leaned over him, trying to see his face.

“Are you sulking?”

“I'm sleeping. You too.”

“I'm not.”

“I can make you.”

Genesis' chuckle made some flying insects buzz into Sephiroth stomach. He made a move to turn back around to face him, but froze when Genesis hugged him from behind, one of his legs placed between Sephiroth's and his hot face against Sephiroth's neck. The cold was instantly forgotten for the silver-haired, the temperature was perfect and Genesis finally touching him again in another context than a fight made his heart rate speed up.

“Is this fine?”

“Yeah,” Sephiroth's voice cracked before he cleared his throat, relaxing slowly in Genesis' warmth. “Yeah, it is.”


	4. snowballs

Snow fell silently on the white landscape. Sephiroth liked seeing those little pieces of frozen water fall, sometimes he almost saw shapes in it. Behind him the camp was filled with its usuals sounds on a calm day, reassuring him.

“I'm bored!”

Genesis' voice rose above the camp's natural sounds. A few SOLDIERs snickered at the hundredth times Genesis let his mind be known to all, even fewer gave him words of consolation. None accepted the proposition for a fight.

Sephiroth let the seconds tick by, enjoying his calm even if his fingers were freezing until a cold mass hit him behind the neck. He jumped, missing a heartbeat, and swirling around ready to fight. Genesis' deep laugh calmed down all the alarms blaring in his head. He shook his head and returned to his observation, a part of him wary of Genesis.

As he thought, another snowball was sent. He avoided it and the next but didn't expect the third. Cold water hit his forehead and fell into his col – for once he wore a SOLDIER's shirt – making him shudder. Genesis almost doubled over in laughter, wheezing out a few words about Sephiroth's frowny face.

Sephiroth used Genesis' distraction to gather a handful of snow. It hit Genesis' redhead and stopped his laughter in a yelp. Genesis looked at him with huge eyes, positively stunned, which only made Sephiroth smile smugly.

“Oh, I see how it is.”

The Crimson Commander bent and took another fistful of snow. Sephiroth didn't wait to be hit, he gathered his own soft weapon. Genesis' snowball missed him, though Sephiroth didn't have more luck. They were SOLDIERs, avoiding snowballs was easy. They still kept trying to strike each other, sending false barb all the while. SOLDIERs looked at them with nothing more to do on this slow day, before some stray snowballs hit other's heads. Then it turned into a general fight. 

It found an end when Genesis left the small protection of a snow wall to jump on the chief of the other side. They collided and rolled around in the snow, trying to block each other. Genesis, laughing too much to be an effective adversary, ended under Sephiroth.

In a rare display, the General was smiling and chuckling too, his eyes wrinkling with joy even though all his clothes were uncomfortably wet. At least with the physical effort he was hot under them.

Around them, the battleground reached peace, though Sephiroth was more interested in Genesis' joyful face. Genesis' hairs were wet, plastering to his forehead and his cheeks were a pretty pink. It warmed up something deeper in Sephiroth's than his skin.

Genesis reached for his neck and pulled on it for their lips to meet. Cheers and hoots echoed around them, but Sephiroth focused on the cold lips on his, the wet but warm leather on his neck. SOLDIERs could stare all they wanted, Sephiroth had better to do than monitor them. Genesis wasn't one to care either. In fact, he loved doing such thing in public, showing he _had_ Sephiroth. Sephiroth wasn't going to say it, but he liked the way Genesis reminded everyone – even Sephiroth himself – of such thing.

Genesis lips pressed against Sephiroth's in a luscious kiss – Genesis' kisses were always slow and sensual – and his hands kept a hold of the other's waist. The redhead didn't seem bothered they were lying in the snow, he was hot under Sephiroth's hands and warmed him up in a delicious manner. In the end, Sephiroth even forgot about his cold fingers.


	5. promise

The griffon in front of Sephiroth gave its last attack before Masamune cut through its throat. A spurt of blood splashed the snow, tainting it an angry red. The second griffon screeched, then jumped on Sephiroth. The man sidestepped, slipped on ice under the snow, but found back his footing before he could get hurt. There were still two others griffons circling him, and even as good as he was, Sephiroth had ended with a few wounds.

Focused on the angry griffon bulldozing its way to him, Sephiroth let an opening. A beak grazed his arm, he grabbed it and plunged it into the snow. He stepped on it, putting his weight in the move, while Masamune blocked the other enemy. The strength of his step broke the griffon's beak and made ice under the snow crack.

Sephiroth focused on the immediate danger. He heard water under him, but the ice was solid for it to support a kick from him. It wasn't going to break so easily.

He faced the two others griffons which eyed him warily. Their wings were halfway spread to make them look bigger. The scream from above broke Sephiroth's focus. He glanced at the thing in the sky, giving an opportunity to the griffons. They attacked together, but weren't strong enough for Sephiroth, even if he was tired. Except their attack had drawn his attention away from the Thunderbird.

He recalled it when he smelt electricity in the air. He humped away from the first impact, but his wet coat caught sparkles that made his body seize up. It slowed him down for the second spell to touch him.

The electricity coursed through him, eliciting a pained hiss from his gritted teeth. Distantly, he heard something crack. He saw the colours of the bird stand out on the white landscape as it landed, only for disappearing the second after. The ice broke under its weight and the cracks came toward Sephiroth. He swirled around, ready to run, but his next step was too strong on the fragile ground. It fell under him and cold water enveloped him. The coldness made him gasp, water filled his lungs, freezing him from inside. Sephiroth's hands flailed around to find a hold. He rose above the surface long enough to spit water and take a short breath, but everything was crumbly under his fingers. He fell back inside, heart missing a beat.

Everything burned, from inside out, making every move hurt, his body spasmed. He was a few centimetres from the surface, but couldn't save himself.

He felt a hard surface under his hand, saw the sun going through the thick ice. Sephiroth willed himself to break it, but he shook too much. He had almost no control over himself. Like - … his thoughts trailed off, his eyes caught movement.

But he was alone and freezing. Alone and they did it, they imprisoned her. Those Cetr-

The water moved, bubbled, as something broke the ice. Sephiroth could only look at the two arms that plunged and grabbed him.

They took him out of the water, the sunlight piercing his eyes, forcing him to close them if he didn't want them to freeze with the wind. A wind that cut through his body.

"I got him!" someone yelled, the sound echoing painfully in the crater.

Sephiroth counted four hands on him now, dragging him away. Before one pair picked him up. The warm against him hurt as much as the wind.

"I'm cold," he heard himself say, his maw too frozen for him to be intelligible.

"Abe, go make us some shelter. Get out your survival blanket."

He looked up to catch up a glimpse of Genesis' chin and his furrowed brows.

For a short moment - or maybe longer - Sephiroth lost his train of thoughts. Lost consciousness, his mind falling into some old nightmare of a body encased in ice and earth green ice cold eyes.

He came to consciousness with his extremities pulsing with pain. Something too hot burned his skin and he struggled to get away.

"Sephiroth?" Genesis sleepy voice came from behind him.

The silver-haired looked at the soft glow of a fire materia in the middle of a cavern. Outside, it was nighttime, though not pitch black like in so many places. The snow reflected too much of the moon for that. Luxiere was standing guard, he glanced at them and waved before going back to his observation. He wasn't buried in meters of ice, purposefully imprisoned.

Sephiroth was warm. He wasn't alone. Yet his mind struggled with the deep fear of being encased in ice. There was the lingering scar of an anger millennial old, a hate for the two-legged pinkish things that ended up being the only thing warming him up in his prison.

"Sephiroth?" Genesis called again, an edge to his voice.

The silver-haired turned around in the tight space of the sleeping bag to face the redhead. He sighed, his mind calming down, coming back to the present. Genesis' hands cradled his, reassuring.

"Thank you."

"It's my pleasure. Saving you will look good on my resume."

Sephiroth chuckled, already falling back asleep. He was bone tired, both by the yo-yo of his emotions coming from fear to anger to deep relief in too short time and his dip in the frozen water. He felt Genesis' hand on his cheek, warmer and caressing. Instinctively he grabbed it, held it so he could retain the redhead if he tried to leave. Genesis never made him doubt he'd stay, but he never stopped Sephiroth from holding onto him either.

"Thank you.”

“I wouldn't leave you to your own, pretty head.”

“You wouldn't,” Sephiroth mumbled, his head fuzzy.

“Promise. Now sleep, we'll all be here tomorrow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well, I didn't re-reread this chap too much so idk about the result  
> but MERRY CHRISTMAS!!


	6. fire

Sephiroth felt a flame lick his cheek, caressing it, leaving no wound. His body was weightless as the crossed the town. It moved perfectly at each of his orders. A perfect oiled war machine. The peace it gave him added to the knowledge he'd gained those last days.

Sephiroth lifted his head to the sky, dark with smoke and – above all – the stars. His home. His future. Looking back down, at the world that held him prisoner for so long he had a second of surprise. The little town looked so different in the night, without sunlight reflecting on a heavy level of snow. Now in place of sunlight flames leeched the wood walls. It was far less cold like this.

_better_

Sephiroth would never be cold again when he'd sail the stars.

_never_

A move at the edge of his vision made him move his head to meet two blue eyes, huge with shock. Genesis stared at him, the exact image of a deer caught in headlights.

_human, ah_

A spark of irritation rose in Sephiroth. It wasn't just a human it was-

_the spark_

– friend, lover, Genesis. Nobody could treat him like –

The redhead flew from the scene in a heartbeat. Away from Sephiroth. The irritation changed for a burning anger. He should have helped _joined_ him! But his work was done, so Sephiroth let him go. Let him live. The redhead light up the fire in Sephiroth. It took him a few tries, but he did. Before that, before the embers sparked to life, he had kept Sephiroth warm. Genesis wasn't useful anymore, yet...

 **why did he leave?** _we only need ourselves_ **why didn't he help me?** _Help? You are safe_ **why** _shh boy_ **did I refuse to** _silence_ **to? give him my blood? It's** _ours_ _**yes** _

Sephiroth looked up again, the two voices in his head becoming one. A few snowflakes managed not to melt before they got to him. One fell on Sephiroth's cheek and melted the instant, a single drop falling down Sephiroth's face. It wasn't enough to calm down the fire that coursed through his veins like Mako had.

Genesis lighted up this fire and now it would consume everything on its way, ravenous. Wasn't it the best Genesis could offer him? Sephiroth smiled, there was no need to warm him up again, he was plenty warm. He was burning. It was the best gift a human could give him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well well well, I hope the end won't disappoint! and merry crisis to everyone xD


End file.
